This $370 million project in Alaska was completed by AECOM for Fairbanks Gold Mining Inc., a subsidiary of Amax Gold, Inc. It involved construction of a facility to process 36,000 tons of gold ore per day. AECOM served as the prime contractor for the development, which included construction and/or erection of mine equipment, associated mine facilities, buildings, mills and other similar machinery on an accelerated construction schedule.
The project location above the 63rd parallel dictated a short construction window (18 months), which required buildings to be enclosed and dams constructed by the first winter—allowing construction inside the buildings to continue during the winter months.
The Fort Knox Project also included the logistical challenges of moving major equipment 2,500-plus miles; arctic/subarctic conditions including permafrost; minimal daylight and its effects on the work force; and construction activities. Fort Knox employed approximately 40 subcontractors and a peak labor force of nearly 600; operating on double shifts of 6 ten-hour days or 60 hours/week/shift; and scheduled 1,750,000 hours of labor to complete the project in the 22-month construction schedule.